Support block for board cutting

ABSTRACT

A carpentry block is provided to support a remote end of a board or work piece to be cut with a table saw or chop saw. The block has a triangular body which can be positioned on any base to define three different heights to support the remote work piece end. The block can also be positioned on the one end to define a fourth height for work piece support. An extension member can be added to the block to provide additional heights with the block, the outer end of the work piece is level with the saw table, thereby assuring an accurate cut of the work piece by the saw blade.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Provisional U.S. Application Ser.No. 62/443,860 filed on Jan. 9, 2017, which is herein incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Construction, carpentry, and other types of woodworking often requirewooden boards, metal pieces, or other materials to be cut to a desiredlength. Various types of saws can be used for the cutting operation,including a chop saw, a table saw, a circular saw, or a hand saw ofvarious types. During the cutting process, a person normally holds thework piece at a location adjacent the saw blade to stabilize the workpiece. Maintaining the board or work piece in the proper position duringcutting can be difficult, and dangerous, particularly for long pieceswhich extend beyond the saw table or deck. Furthermore, longer workpieces tend to bow or flex, particularly if the remote end spaced fromthe saw blade is not supported at the same elevation or level as thecutting end on the table or deck. Such bowing or flexing can lead toinaccurate cuts, such as non-square cuts, which can lead tocomplications in some applications, such as with finish carpentry workwherein square ends on the board or work piece is critical.

Therefore, there is a need for a device or product which prevents orovercomes the problems of the prior art.

Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is theprovision of a block for supporting the outer end of a board or workpiece during a saw cutting operation.

Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a supportblock for board cutting which can be moved to various positions tocorrespond with the height of the saw deck or table.

A further objective of the present invention is the provision of asupport block for the outer free end of a board or work piece being cut,such as by a chop saw or table saw, to support the board or work pieceouter end at an elevation level with the saw deck or table.

Still another objective of the present invention is a provision of acarpentry block for use with cutting a workpiece, which is economical tomanufacture, and safe and simple to use.

A further objective of the present invention is a provision of a blockwhich can be set on different edges to create different heights of theblock for use in supporting a work piece at the selected height.

Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision ofsupport block for wood working which has an add-on member to change thedimensions of the block.

Still another objective of the present invention is a provision of atriangular block having four different heights, depending upon itsorientation, to support an end of a work piece remote from a saw tableor deck.

A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a blockthat provides support for a work piece during cutting, and havingnotches to receive an extension to increase the support height of theblock.

These and other objectives will become apparent from the followingdescription of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A block is provided for supporting the outer end of a board or workpiece at a distance spaced from the saw table or deck so as to provideaccurate cutting of the board by the saw blade. The block has atriangular shape to allow positioning of the block on any of threesides, or on one end of the block. Each side of the block and the end ofthe block define a different support height for the work piece,depending upon which side or end of the block is set upon the floor orground.

In one embodiment, the block has a one-piece construction, with nomoving parts. In an alternative embodiment, the block includes a notchon each edge adapted to receive an extension or add-on member to furtherincrease the height of the block, as needed. The extension and blockhave a tongue and groove, sliding connection.

The block can be positioned to assure that the remote end of the workpiece is at the same height as the saw table bed or deck, therebyassuring an accurate cut of the work piece.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the carpenter's block of the presentinvention used to support one end of a work piece while the work pieceis being cut by a saw.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view from one face of the block.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the block showing the different heights towhich the block can be rotated.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view showing the support block in use to supportthe outer end of a board being cut by a saw.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the blockhaving an extension member.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the alternative embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of yet another embodiment of the block andextension of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The carpentry block of the present invention is designated in thedrawings by the reference numeral 10. In one embodiment, the block 10 isformed from molded plastic or composite material, has a unitaryconstruction, has no moving parts, and with no assembly required.

The block 10 has a triangular shape as shown in FIG. 3, with the pointsof the triangle being truncated. Thus, the block 10 has a first base 12,a second base 14, and a third base 16. Opposite each of the basesurfaces 12, 14, and 16 are edges or board surfaces 18, 20, and 22. Thefirst, second, and third bases are parallel to the first, second, andthird edges, respectively. The first base 12 and the first edge 18define a first height 24. The second base 14 and the second edge 20define a second height 26. The third base 16 and the third edge 22define a third height 28. Each of the heights, 24, 26, and 28 aredifferent. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, in one embodiment, the firstheight 24 is 3½ inches, the second height 26 is 3¼ inches, and the thirdheight 28 is 3 inches. The heights 24, 26, and 28 may vary from those inthe drawings, without departing from the scope of the invention.

The block 10 can be rotated so as to position any one of the faces 12,14, or 16 upon the ground or floor 30 at a distance spaced apart fromthe saw table or deck 32 having a saw blade 34, so as to support anouter or remote end 35 of a board or workpiece 36 to be cut. Theorientation of block 10 is selected such that the height 24, 26, or 28substantially matches the height of the saw table or deck 32 such thatthe board or work piece 36 is supported in a substantially horizontalposition, with the board or work piece 36 being flat on the saw table ordeck 32. Such support of the free end 35 of the board or work piece 36will produce an accurate cut by the saw blade 34 at the inner workpieceend 38, since the opposite ends 35, 38 of the work piece 36 aresubstantially level or horizontal.

The block 10 also has opposite ends 40, 42 which are spaced apart so asto define a fourth height 44. The height 44 can be any desired height,such as 6⅜ inches shown in FIG. 1. The ends 40, 42 have a sufficientarea to permit the block 10 to be set on one of the ends so as tosupport the board or work piece on the opposite end at the height 34.

Thus, the block 10 provides four height options for supporting the boardor work piece 36 while the workpiece is being cut by the saw. Heightindicia may be provided on each of the edges 18, 20, 22, as seen inFIGS. 1 and 2.

Preferably, the block 10 is hollow, with cutouts or recesses 46 whichallow for easy pickup and gripping of the block 10. This constructionalso makes the block 10 lightweight.

The block 10 also accommodates fluctuations in the work piece, such asboard warpage, to maintain the board or work piece 36 flat on the sawdeck 32.

In use, the block 10 supports the outer end of 35 the work piece 36,opposite the saw blade 34, thus providing safer working conditions forthe saw operator. For example, when cutting “stair railing pickets” fora spindle type stair hand railing, the saw user has to hold down the toppart of the spindle to the saw deck. When cutting the angled top end ofthe picket, or shaving off a little of the end, in the conventionalmethod without the block 10, one hand holds the end to be cut at alocation very close to the blade 34, because there is nothing supportingthe other end of the spindle. With the block 10 supporting the outer endof the picket, the operator can move their hand further from the blade34 to a safer position, while the picket is supported on the deck 32 andon the block 10 for an accurate cut.

An alternative embodiment of the block 10A is shown is FIGS. 5 and 6.The block 10A includes a notch 50 on each of the edges 18, 20, 22. Thenotches 50 are adapted to matily receive a tongue or tab 52 on anextension member 54. Thus, the extension member 54 can be added on toany of the edges 18, 20, 22 of the block 10A to increase the supportheight of the block. For example, the extension member 54 can add atleast a ¼ inch to the heights 24, 26, and 28. Multiple extension members54 may be provided, each having a different height to allow the remoteend of the work piece to be positioned level with the saw table or deck32 and thereby assure an accurate cut of the work piece 36 by the sawblade 34.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the block 10B, which also has thenotches 50 for the extension or riser 54. The dimensions in FIG. 7 areexemplary, and are not limitations for the block.

The invention has been shown and described above with the preferredembodiments, and it is understood that many modifications,substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intendedspirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seenthat the present invention accomplishes at least all of its statedobjectives.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present inventionaccomplishes all of the stated objectives.

What is claimed is:
 1. A block for supporting one end of a board being cut with a saw, comprising: a unitary body having multiple base surfaces, with each base surface having an opposite, parallel board surface to define heights from each base surface to the respective opposite board surface; the heights varying for each base surface; and wherein body is selectively set on one of the base surfaces to support the end of the board on the respective opposite board surface.
 2. The block of claim 1 wherein the body is triangular in cross section.
 3. The block of claim 2 wherein the body has truncated tips forming the board surfaces.
 4. The block of claim 1 wherein the body has opposite ends defining an additional height to support the one end the board when the body is set on one of the ends.
 5. The block of claim 1 further comprising an extension member mounted on the body to increase one of the heights.
 6. The block of claim 5 wherein the block and the extension member have mating couplers.
 7. The block of claim 5 wherein the block and the extension member have a male and female connection.
 8. The block of claim 5 wherein the body has a notch on each board surface and the extension member has a tab for retentive engagement in the notch.
 9. The block of claim 1 wherein the body has a recess for manual gripping.
 10. A support block for a workpiece being cut by a saw blade, the workpiece being supported by a deck adjacent the saw blade and having a remote end spaced from the deck, the support block, comprising: first, second and third bases, each adapted to rest upon the floor or ground; first, second and third top edges opposite the first, second and third bases, respectively, each edge being adapted to support the remote end of the workpiece during cutting; and wherein the body is rotatable to selectively position one of the top edges in a substantially horizontal plane with the deck for supporting the workpiece remote end.
 11. The support block of claim 10 wherein the first base and the first edge define a first height for the block, the second base and the second edge define a second height for the block, and the third base and the third edge define a third height for the block; and the first, second and third heights being different from one another.
 12. The support block of claim 11 further comprising opposite ends which define a forth height therebetween, and the fourth height being different than the first, second, and third heights.
 13. The support block of claim 10 wherein the first, second and third bases form a triangular cross section for the support block with truncated points formed by the first second and third top edges.
 14. The support block of claim 10 further comprising an extension member mounted on the body to increase one of the heights.
 15. The support block of claim 14 wherein the block and the extension member have mating couplers.
 16. The support block of claim 14 wherein the block and the extension member have a male and female connection.
 17. The support block of claim 14 wherein the body has a notch on each edge and the extension member has a tab for retentive engagement in the notch.
 18. The support block of claim 10 wherein the body has a recess for manual gripping.
 19. A method of cutting an elongated workpiece, comprising: supporting the workpiece on a saw table in front of a sawblade whereby an end of the workpiece extends beyond the saw table; supporting the end of the workpiece with a block positioned between the saw table and the end of the workpiece; rotating the block to adjust the height of the end of the workpiece to a position substantially level with the saw table.
 20. The method of claim 19 wherein rotation of the block is about a longitudinal axis to one of multiple bases of the block or about a lateral axis to one end of the block. 